Last season, for example, was the Year of the Quarterback in the SEC, a season where the league was dominated by big scores and big passing numbers from the likes of a Heisman Trophy winner (Johnny Manziel), the SEC's all-time leading passer (Aaron Murray), a two-time national champion QB (AJ McCarron) and a host of other senior signal callers, some (like Connor Shaw) who were iconic figures in their program and others (like Zach Mettenberger) who would become a prime-time pro prospect.

Surely, with all that talent, the top offensive player in the SEC was a quarterback. Right?

It didn't work out that way. Auburn's unlikely run to the conference title and the BCS championship game was sparked by the Tigers' explosive running game, and running back Tre Mason wound up outdistancing all the quarterbacks to be named Offensive MVP by both the conference and The Associated Press.

One has to keep that in mind as we look forward to 2014. All those quarterbacks are gone and we have a year that promises to be dominated by talented running backs like Georgia's Todd Gurley, Alabama's T.J. Yeldon and South Carolina's Mike Davis.

But can we assume a running back will be the top performer?

Maybe not. Some, like Gurley and Yeldon, will be part of deep stables and won't necessarily put up Mason-like numbers (1,816 yards, 23 touchdowns) because they won't get the carries. Then, there's the health factor, always a key element to a running back's success. Davis may garner enough carries at South Carolina to gain the yards to get recognized, but will he stay healthy enough against the rigors of an SEC schedule to do it?

And if the running backs falter, who steps up for the award? Perhaps a proven run-pass QB like Nick Marshall of Auburn or Dak Prescott of Mississippi State, or maybe even a proven passer like Bo Wallace.

Or perhaps the young quarterbacks lean on a stud receiver. Missouri QB Maty Mauk might not be ready to have an award-winning season, but will his reliance on Dorial Green-Beckham lead to a breakthrough campaign for the receiver?

Who do you think will win? Vote in the poll below and check out my top five:<a href="http://polldaddy.com/poll/7949043/">Who will be the top offensive player in the SEC in 2014?</a>1. RB Mike Davis, South Carolina: This may seem odd, considering that in the running back rankings we did back in February, I ranked Alabama's T.J. Yeldon as the league's top running back.

But there are a lot of things Davis has going for him here. First, as mentioned above, he's more likely to carry a larger load. He had 200 carries last season while the Gamecocks' second-leading carrier among running backs had just 61 carries. With the quarterback position less likely to take away carries -- new starter Dylan Thompson doesn't appear to be the running threat Shaw was -- that might mean even more carries for Davis.

Add to that the fact that Davis is a real threat in the passing game -- he had 34 catches for 352 yards last year -- and it's easy to see him becoming an every-down workhorse who can have MVP moments both in the running game and the passing game. If South Carolina wins the Eastern Division, something the Gamecocks again appear capable of, Davis could get a lot of the credit with the role he'll play.

2. RB Todd Gurley, Georgia: Most would rank Gurley ahead of Davis among SEC running backs and he may be the best NFL draft prospect among college RBs.

But there are some things Gurley will have to work through. Gurley, who has 2,374 rushing yards in two seasons at Georgia, missed four games last year with an ankle injury, something that could have two effects.

While the injury was not career-threatening, it could motivate head coach Mark Richt to try to ease the burden on Gurley to reduce the injury risk. And while he was out last year, a plethora of Bulldogs backs -- Keith Marshall, J.J. Green and Brendan Douglas -- got confidence-building carries.

Add it up and a healthy Gurley may not carry the same workload as Davis and, as a result, may not have the opportunity to accumulate the same stats. But if he does get a similar workload, Gurley will probably be more productive.

3. QB Nick Marshall, Auburn: The top quarterback returning in the SEC won't likely put up the passing numbers of a Murray or a Manziel, but Marshall's dual-threat abilities will make him a candidate even if he doesn't come anywhere close to 3,000 passing yards.

What Marshall has is the running ability to surpass 1,000 yards for a second straight season (he rushed for 1,068 yards last year) and passing ability that may have just scratched the surface in 2013. With barely time to learn Gus Malzahn's offense, he still threw for 1,976 yards.

With talented Sammie Coates back at receiver and junior college stud D'haquille Williams joining him, a more polished Marshall may put up enough air stats to make him a legitimate Heisman Trophy candidate.

Odds are, the challenge of Henry will bring the best out of Yeldon. I don't expect a guy as accomplished as he is to fall by the wayside. I'd expect him to improve his ball security -- fumbles were his big issue -- and continue to be the top back for the Tide.

But the confidence in Henry isn't all about Yeldon's failings. Alabama has depth at the position, which will make it harder for Yeldon to put up gaudy numbers. Look for the Crimson Tide to use a stable of backs, which will make it difficult for Yeldon to keep up with a guy like Davis, who will be asked to carry a heavy load for a good team.

5. WR Dorial Green-Beckham, Missouri: I like Beckham's chances to be the top receiver in the SEC for a couple of reasons. First, he's an outstanding talent who will be picked high in the NFL draft.

Second, and more important, is I think Missouri will lean on him more than, say, Alabama will lean on Amari Cooper. The Tigers have a good, young quarterback in Maty Mauk who, as he improves his own game in his first year as a full-time starter, may lean on his best receiver more than Alabama, with its running game, will lean on Cooper.

Because of that, Green-Beckham could be on his way to a 1,000-yard season with a lot of touchdowns. If he can put up those numbers and make some big plays in big wins, he could sneak in to be the first receiver to win an SEC MVP award since LSU's Wendell Davis in 1987.

Others: Bo Wallace of Ole Miss is the league's only returning 3,000-yard passer. If he has a big, MVP-type year, that probably means receiver Laquon Treadwell, the SEC's Freshman of the Year in 2013, will also have a big year. ... Mississippi State quarterback Dak Prescott can put up numbers comparable to Marshall. If the Bulldogs pull off some high-profile upsets and Prescott is a 2,000-yard passer and a 1,000-yard rusher, he could be a prime candidate. ... No new starter at QB will carry the expectations of Missouri's Maty Mauk, the all-time leading passer in high school football history who showed a lot of promise as a redshirt freshman when he got four starts because of injury. ... LSU running back Leonard Fournette is the top freshman prospect in the country and many expect him to be the workhorse for the Tigers from day one.